It was just past 3 a.m, the house was dark, silent except for the sound Talia heard outside her window: Footsteps,Crunching snow, measured, intentional, wrong. Her body responded before her mind caught up.
She didn't hesitate.
Didn't stop to ask questions.
Didn't wonder if it was paranoia.
Somewhere deep inside, she knew this wasn't a mistake, this was a threat. She moved to Nova's room, heart pounding like a war drum, adrenaline scorching through her veins.
"Mommy?" Nova's small voice cracked the silence, her little eyes fluttering open.
Talia crouched low beside her bed.
"Shh, baby. Stay here. Don't make a sound." She kissed her forehead with trembling lips, then stood. One hand wrapped tight around the shotgun, the other gripping her phone like a lifeline.
She dialed.
Kian.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
Goddammit.
Outside, more footsteps.
Closer.
Heavier.
Dragging through the snow like whoever it was had all the time in the world.
Then Silence. The kind that made her skin crawl. Talia moved like a shadow down the stairs, past the framed photos, past the half-packed bag she meant to take to her sister's tomorrow.
No time now.
Her breath was shallow.
Controlled.
She reached the back door.
The handle jiggled.
Once.
Twice.
Someone's trying to get in. She gripped the shotgun tighter. Breathed in. Held it.
BOOM.
The door blasted open splinters flying like shrapnel.
He was masked.
Tall.
Broad.
Armed.
But not fast enough.
Talia fired.
Missed.
Fired again this time grazing his shoulder.
He roared charging.
Slammed into her.
They crashed to the floor.
The shotgun skidded out of reach.
She screamed and fought with everything she had. Fists, knees, teeth, but he was trained.
He was strong and she was alone until— Bang. A shot split the dark.
The man screamed—stumbled and Kian was there. No shirt, no shoes, Just fury and fire and a gun in his hand. He fired again, one clean bullet to the intruder's thigh.
The man dropped.
Kian lunged.
Pinned him down.
Gun to temple.
Eyes wild.
Talia wiped blood from her lip, her breath shaking. "Don't kill him," she rasped. "We need to know who sent him."
Kian's hands trembled but he nodded.
They tied the bastard up, dragged him down to the basement like trash and chained him to the old steel beam Kian swore they'd never use.
Kian called Marcus.
Demanded backup.
Extraction.
Names.
Then he turned back to her.
Talia was still trembling.
Her knees ached.
Her cheek stung from where she hit the floor but she wasn't broken. She was burning.
Her eyes locked on him, hair disheveled, muscles tight, gun still warm in his hand.
And then she kissed him. Fierce, hungry, unapologetic.
"You shouldn't have come back," she gasped, backed against the wall.
"I felt it," he growled. "I felt you. Felt something shift. You think I'd stay away?" His hands were all over her.
Rough.
Commanding.
Possessive.
This wasn't about comfort, it was about survival.
Ownership.
Love, laced with fire.
"I thought I'd lose you," he muttered against her throat. "I thought I was too late."
"You're not," she whispered. "I'm here. I'm alive. So take me. Now." They didn't make it to the bedroom.
They made love—
No. They fucked like animals right there in the hallway.
Talia's dress was half off.
Kian's jeans pushed down just enough.
Bodies tangled.
He lifted her, pinned her to the wall.
His mouth was on hers
Then on her neck
Then everywhere.
"Kian," she moaned. "Harder—fuck—don't stop—don't you stop—"
He growled into her skin.
"Mine. You're mine."
Every thrust was brutal.
Every kiss was fire.
"You want it rough?" he hissed.
"Yes," she gasped. "Always yours."
Their bodies slammed together like thunder.
And when they came
It was primal.
It was holy.
It was war and worship all at once.
They collapsed onto the floor.
Sweaty. Spent and still trembling from more than sex. Kian rolled beside her, chest heaving.
Forehead against hers.
"I almost lost you," he said again.
"You didn't," she said. "But you could have. And that terrifies me." She placed a hand on his chest, felt his heartbeat thundering beneath her palm.
"So from now on… we don't split up. We don't pretend we can live separate lives. We face it all together."
Kian nodded, gaze fierce and soft all at once. He cupped her face. "You and Nova are everything. There's no world I want without you in it."
Talia exhaled, letting the last of the fear go. "Then don't just promise me." He leaned in and kissed her Slow, deep, claiming her all over again.
"For the rest of my life," he whispered. And this time, it didn't sound like a line.
It sounded like a vow.